F-22 killed off
Discussion
187...that many eh?
That is about right to what the prog was expected to be reduced to once it became obvious that the JSF was going to be the all tools to all men weapons platform of choice, just as Typhoon Tranche 3 has never stood a snowballs cat in hells chance of happening properly. Even more so in these credit crunched times.
That is about right to what the prog was expected to be reduced to once it became obvious that the JSF was going to be the all tools to all men weapons platform of choice, just as Typhoon Tranche 3 has never stood a snowballs cat in hells chance of happening properly. Even more so in these credit crunched times.
It's a long way down from the 750 odd originally planned but that was back in the mid '90s. Look at similar reductions in production on other cold war designed aircraft like the B-2.
I wonder if this reduction will cause changes in the laws to allow other countries to purchase the F-22?
I can see why a perhaps more multi role aircraft is been favoured these days but there seems to be a lot of assumptions being made about the F-35 before it's done much.
I wonder if this reduction will cause changes in the laws to allow other countries to purchase the F-22?
I can see why a perhaps more multi role aircraft is been favoured these days but there seems to be a lot of assumptions being made about the F-35 before it's done much.
That's a shame about the F-22, saw it fly at Farnborough last year and was hugely impressed with it, it seemed almost capable of defying the law's of physics and aerodynamics. Fantastic to see, I can't actually see how the F-35 will be as maneuverable or carry as much ordnance, it's a much smaller airframe after-all.
Also, the F-35 wouldn't yet be anywhere near Wales, may have been an F-22, but again, not sure why they'd fly in Wales, can't think of anything that looks remotely like those jets and may have been there though.
Also, the F-35 wouldn't yet be anywhere near Wales, may have been an F-22, but again, not sure why they'd fly in Wales, can't think of anything that looks remotely like those jets and may have been there though.
CraigW said:
looked v similar then, maybe an f22 I suppose. It did pass me pretty quickly!
Firstly, apologies for the DPM above, not sure what happened there.I guess they may now be flying them in a wider theatre, I think so are now in service, so they may be over here showing off to the Typhoon boys. I just hope they send one to Fairford this year (as it was cancelled last year).
el stovey said:
Look at similar reductions in production on other cold war designed aircraft like the B-2.
Did I read somewhere the B2 was a miserable failure in its stealth capabilities compared with Northrops target cross-section? I thought this (along with the reduced demand) had something to do with the reduced sales.I seem to recall that because of the limited numbers, the unit cost was astronomical >2.5Bn USD each!
The B2 was always going to be expensive, when the need for them dictated by the threat level dropped away, so the neccessity of their spend dropped away, meaning the amount to be made dropped away meaning the cost per machine zoomed up.
The same has happened to the F22 prog over the years, with each cull making the aircraft more expensive. With the JSF acquiring capability like an all consuming hoover, it meant what has happened has been coming for the last 5 yrs. JSF is also 10yrs later in the lifecycle and maturity of many aspects of the products/technology on board and the designs so the rollouts would effectively have dictated that reasonably sooner after a large proportion of the F22s had been delivered, they would have been due an update very soon.
The same has happened to the F22 prog over the years, with each cull making the aircraft more expensive. With the JSF acquiring capability like an all consuming hoover, it meant what has happened has been coming for the last 5 yrs. JSF is also 10yrs later in the lifecycle and maturity of many aspects of the products/technology on board and the designs so the rollouts would effectively have dictated that reasonably sooner after a large proportion of the F22s had been delivered, they would have been due an update very soon.
Lefty Guns said:
I wonder when we'll follow suit and ditch the Typhoon for the F35...
We can't. Given the fact that the contract was devised to stop partner countries backing out. We are stuck with having to pay for 265 aircraft. Whether we take up this number is immaterial as we will have to pay for them. The cuts have been made in GSE and spares support, hence why, approx 5 aircraft will be taken from the end of the production line and dismantled for parts. Another minor point is that some of the first tranche one aircraft are coming up for scrapping, a nice source of spares?? Well no, wheels etc, but a lot of kit is completely incompatible.
Still a nice bit of kit though.
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